Brass case finishes from factory.

[BMG50]

Does anyone know what a shell case looks like factory finished such a a Bofors etc. I have seen a inert rep round that was varnished over when left the factory, it seemed to be polished in one direction with a very fine emery cloth but not polished shiny like someone buffed the case up with Brasso, just wondering how cases looked when new, seemed to be different than you would think.

 

[Weasel]

Hi BMG50,
Here is to my understanding a good factory finish WW2 dated 40mm L60 Bofors round.
Weasel

 

[BMG50]

Thats a nice round you have there. Looking at other rounds from the factory untouched they don't seemed to be polished up but more of a mat sheen as if cleaned with steel wool.

 

[Darkman]

They were just bright new clean brass, not polished or coated in any way. That’s what annoys me with some “collectors” who insist on polishing cases to a shiny mirror finish with Brasso etc.

 

[M8owner]

This thread shows French 25mm brass cases in factory new condition right out of a sealed can.

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threa...m-Anti-tank-gun-AP-Ammo?highlight=french+25mm

 

[flak18]

Personal choice as to whether to polish or not. Doesn't make them any less of a "collector" if they prefer them that way.

 

[Weasel]

Here is another case found in Normandy very many years ago, fired and then left untouched.

 

[Weasel]

Here is one more for the thread, a US 37mm M17 Inert loaded sand filled case in original cardboard packing tube.

 

[flak18]

Lovely case. I have a few 105mm How cases like this......after firing, put straight back into their black cardboard tubes and then not removed again until I found them in a barn more than 70 years later. I hasten to add that I put them back into the tubes again and they rest there to this day.

 

[BMG50]

As suspected kind of a very fine scotch brite buff not a shine polish. Thanks for showing, very nice box of rounds.

 

[tankbarrell]

Brass does oxidize over time. You can't take an 70 year old untouched case as an example of new factory appearance.
I use the orange cillit bang and a gentle rub with a cheap, used sponge scourer. This removes the oxidation and leaves a bright but not polished finish. Works for me!

 

[2pounder]

to determine 'factory' finish' one needs to look at the manufacturing process. They must have been cleaned some way before filling to remove any dirt or oil etc from drawing and machining. I agree whatever the factory finish was some 70 years of air will change the look. Me I clean and polish sometimes ceramic hob cleaner helps with tarnish, have even used fine wet and dry for stubborn bits then leave to dull down over time.

 

[BMG50]

I tried to match similar finish, not polished with brasso but the finest scotch bright, red pad. It certainly takes the tarnish off, i would never do this to an original case with ink markings etc to a case that has had its originality removed by brasso polishing wouldn't be an issue as long as its correct to originality.
Does anyone know how the ink markings are done on the case sides, were they of an ink or a chemical brass black etc.

 

[tankbarrell]

I tried to match similar finish, not polished with brasso but the finest scotch bright, red pad. It certainly takes the tarnish off, i would never do this to an original case with ink markings etc to a case that has had its originality removed by brasso polishing wouldn't be an issue as long as its correct to originality.
Does anyone know how the ink markings are done on the case sides, were they of an ink or a chemical brass black etc.

The 17pr case I posted a pic of still has its original markings and the cleaning process didn't make them any fainter, though I was particularly gentle in that area.
They were originally applied by silver nitrate and a stencil.

 

[flak18]

Well, I can only speak from experience. I worked on 105mm Howitzers many years ago and I well remember the colour of the cartridge cases when they arrived on the gun position..... they were the same as the 75mm M5A1 case that Weasel shows. There was a very bright section, about an inch or so right at the base of the case and the colour then deepened to a sort of honey colour along the length o the case. The discolourisation at the mouth is caused by the escape of smoke when the breech is opened and it is generally down one side of the case.
My 105mm How cases from Normandy are the same as Weasels in colour. The cardboard tubes in which they are packed are totally airtight so the cases are the same colour as they were 70 years ago, with the addition of the smoke dribbles I have mentioned.
I obtained many new cases from Birtley, 105mm Fd, 76mm Armd, 105mm Tk and 4.5" and they all exhibited the same colour characteristics.
So there you are...my take on the subject based on my personal experience. I have never seen a bright coloured case.
But then again, I am no expert, just telling it as I have seen it on hundreds of cartridge cases. I bow to any other's superior knowledge.

 

[ammogun]

hello
i discover a very interessing thread
bright casing are mostly seen on publicity and brochures
on small arm ammo ,we can see cases with annealing neck marks (ex:geco rifle ammo) and other who had the annealing mark removed (ex:norma rifle ammo) but never very bright casing (but maybe exceptions)
i think ammo "look better" without annealing marks but in reality i think the performance don't affected
same thing for medium and large bore calibers ,never see a service round very bright (like polished with "mirror" a french polish product) but as explained by the other members ,for services the rounds doesn't need very bright for function !
sorry if i bad explained because my english is not very good

so i very like rounds "out of the box" but don't like non factory polished rounds

 

[AMMOTECHXT]

hello
i discover a very interessing thread
bright casing are mostly seen on publicity and brochures
on small arm ammo ,we can see cases with annealing neck marks (ex:geco rifle ammo) and other who had the annealing mark removed (ex:norma rifle ammo) but never very bright casing (but maybe exceptions)
i think ammo "look better" without annealing marks but in reality i think the performance don't affected
same thing for medium and large bore calibers ,never see a service round very bright (like polished with "mirror" a french polish product) but as explained by the other members ,for services the rounds doesn't need very bright for function !
sorry if i bad explained because my english is not very good

so i very like rounds "out of the box" but don't like non factory polished rounds

I agree - don't worry, your meaning is loud and clear. The 105 mm, 76 mm, 30 mm and various calibres of SAA cases (.50, .50 Spotter tracer, .30, 7.62 mm, 5.56 mm, 9mm etc) I saw while in service were all a dull colour and mostly with annealing marks. If you think about it nobody wants bright and shiny ammo that could bring their attention to an enemy and the work needed to make brass shiny would make production more time consuming and costly. In Germany I had to use scotchbrite to remove corrosion from 30 mm cases.

Some of the German WW2 steel cased 9 mm (I had to prepare hundreds of rounds for disposal in the late 1980s that had been seized by police) and some of the 7.62 mm x 39 cases (in the Middle East in 1991) I have seen were shiny and appeared to be lacquered, presumably to prevent corrosion.